This invention relates to torque splitting gear drives, and deals more particularly with an improved means in such drive for providing and supporting a torque distributing gear member which is shiftable axially along its axis of rotation to perform its torque distributing function.
Torque splitting gear drives may be used for various different applications but are particularly useful in cases where it is desired by means of gears to transmit high levels of power between two rotatable shafts. Such desire may arise, for example, from a requirement to change the speed of rotation from one shaft to the other or to accommodate a change in direction where one shaft is at an angle to the other. Where large amounts of power are involved, the gears of conventional gear drives need be relatively large to avoid exceeding their upper power limits. With a torque splitting gear drive, however, the transmitted torque is effectively channeled through two parallel paths each of which carries approximately one-half of the total power, thereby allowing the individual gears to be reduced in size and weight. Examples of previously proposed torque splitting drives of the type to which this invention generally pertains are shown by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,040,443; 1,514,522; 2,982,144; 3,259,100; and 3,871,248.
An essential element of torque splitting drives, such as those shown by the aforementioned patents, is a torque distributing member carrying two gears respectively meshing with two other gears each belonging to a separate one of the two parallel paths, which member somehow shifts or deflects under the influence of forces imposed thereon by the gears meshed therewith to balance the torque applied to the latter gears. This in turn requires that the torque distributing member be supported in such a way as to be capable of shifting or deflecting precisely and in small amounts as needed to perform its torque distributing function while at the same time also transmitting all of the power applied to the drive.
The general object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a torque splitting gear drive having a torque distributing member supported to provide improved automatic and precise load sharing between the two parallel paths.
A further object of this invention is to provide a torque splitting gear drive of the foregoing character which is easily assembled, which does not require extremely accurate location or rigidity of the shaft carrying the torque distributing member, and wherein the torque distributing member is well restrained against displacement from its normal axis of rotation by forces imposed thereon during operation.
Other objects and advantage of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment and from the accompanying drawing.